The present invention is directed to an electric control for a water conditioner and particularly to an electric control for an under-counter water conditioner using filtration means for purifying and conditioning water including a reverse-osmosis filter and an activated carbon filter.
The use of an electric control for a water conditioning system is well known. In a previous water conditioning system (Aquatec CDP 6000), an "Auto Flush" feature includes an electric solenoid bypass valve. A tank switch senses a predetermined low product water pressure and opens a valve to inlet feed water into the pre-filter. A drawback of the CDP 6000 Water System is that there is an inherent delay between the time the faucet is opened and product water is dispensed to the time water processing begins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,085, Beall, Jr. discloses a hydraulic control valve which controls flow of water through the system. The system includes a storage tank having a bladder for storing processed water. When reduced pressure is sensed, due to flow of pure water through an outlet line, the control valve permits water flow through the system. A disadvantage to the system as described is the time lag between initial product water flow and operation of the control valve. A further disadvantage to the system as described is that, as product water flows out of the storage tank, the product water pressure decreases until the sensed low pressure is sufficient to cause additional water to flow to the squeeze chamber of the product water tank.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of previous hydraulic and electric controls for water conditioners by providing a control that permits conditioned water to flow at a steady rate immediately upon the opening of the faucet valve, and to continue to flow at a steady rate thereafter. In addition, the electric control as set forth herein overcomes a disadvantage in prior art hydraulic controls by preventing rapid cycling of the inlet valve at low conditioned water output flow rates.
In addition, the electric control as set forth herein provides water flow to a plurality of water use points through a plurality of outlets. A further advantage of the electric control as set forth herein is the ability to locate product water outlets at a plurality of locations remote from the water conditioner, since no electric controls at the outlets are needed.